ABS Classes First Japanese-Flagged Carrier

International classification society ABS says it has added the first Japanese-flagged vessel to its classed fleet after having been awarded the status of a ‘Recognized Organization’ (RO) by the Japanese government.

ABS classed the MT YAMATOGAWA, a 2006-builtm 302,488 deadweight-ton VLCC owned and managed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., also known as K-Line, a move which ABS says was the first time a foreign classification society has classed a vessel flying the Japanese flag.

“We are honored to become the first foreign class society to include a Japanese-flagged vessel in our fleet. This is testament to our long-term commitment to delivering the high levels of professionalism that are demanded by the top Japanese shipowners,” says Derek Novak, President and COO for ABS’ Pacific Division. “We look forward to providing our best-in-class technical services and global support to a growing part of the Japanese commercial fleet in the coming years.”

ABS gained status as an RO in Japan in December 2012. It opened its first office in Japan in 1949 and has been supporting global shipowners there ever since. Earlier this year ABS was selected to serve as the first foreign classification society for a new construction Japanese-flagged vessel when Offshore Japan Corporation, a joint venture between “K” Line Kinkai and Offshore Operation Co., Ltd., announced the construction of a new anchor handling tug supply vessel to the ABS’ standards.

“K” Line owns and operates a diverse fleet of ships, comprising of containerships, gas carriers, PCC, tankers, bulk carriers and, in the past few years, has diversified into drillships, offshore support vessels and heavy-lifters.

The RO designation allows ABS to provide statutory certification services to Japanese-flagged vessels on behalf of the government and it allows ABS to verify the compliance of those vessels with the major international safety and environmental conventions such as the International Load Line, SOLAS and MARPOL.

Novak says choosing to class with ABS for ships being built in Japan will make owners eligible for the most knowledgeable technical support and regulatory guidance when calling in US waters.

ABS currently operates four offices in Japan serving both Japanese owners and other clients constructing vessels and offshore assets within the country.

About gCaptain

gCaptain is the top-visited maritime and offshore industry news site in the world. Since 2007, gCaptain has proven to be a highly effective platform for information sharing and a source for up-to-date and relevant news for industry professionals worldwide.